Stray Dogs
by Nemu-saa
Summary: Tsubaki Seiji won't be teaching the fifth grade language class for long. Just long enough to become curious about the strange, solitary little boy with golden eyes who claims he can see Youkai. Preseries. Clean!
1. Part 1

**Stray Dogs**

Summary: Tsubaki Seiji won't be teaching the fifth grade language class for long. Just long enough to become curious about the strange, solitary little boy with golden eyes who claims he can see Youkai. Preseries.

Reviews of every kind welcome!

Note: In my cheater-style of writing, I have thought written in all _italics_ and memories things said in the past as _"italics in quotes". _I hope you enjoy my laziness. :P

Rated: K+ (PG)

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><p>As one elbow bumped another, for just a moment, time slowed to a lethargic crawl. The boy was jostled just enough to turn his head and he glanced up in slow motion. A wave of pale, nearly transparent yellow hair caught in the little breeze of movement and fell aside.<p>

A set of dark gold irises, wrapped around wide pupils stared out of a thin, young face. Those crystal clear eyes… even though he couldn't be older than ten, it was as if he was seeing everything.

Perhaps he was seeing too much.

Then abruptly, time wrenched forward far too fast, making up for its stalling. Seiji had his mouth open to apologize but, too late, saw the heal of the boy's school shoe disappearing around the doorway.

Kagami Toru, the fifth grade homeroom teacher, saw Seiji watching and nodded once before entering the head teacher's office as well. He shut the door behind them.

Now alone in the echoing school hall, Seiji tried to remember what he'd been doing. The fleeting encounter clung to his mind instead, causing one hand to come up and wrap around the part of his elbow that had brushed the boy's.

"Tsubaki-sensei!"

He jumped from his thoughts and turned around quickly, letting go of his own arm. "Megu - eh - Inori-sensei. Good Morning!"

Inori Megumi came to halt in front of him, clutching a stack of blue and gray binders to her chest with both arms. "I don't think it is anymore… if the hall clock is right."

Seiji blinked and glanced at the large clock over the nearest classroom. The hands were solidly at 1:52 AM. "Ah! Not good!"

Megumi started to laugh in her light, rather husky voice. "Don't worry, recess only ended a few minutes ago."

Without thinking, Seiji ran a hand through his once-combed, feathery hair. One more way to look unprofessional on his first day.

"Twelve minutes late to my only class today? They should fire me!" He spun around and started running down the hall, cursing the stiff fabric of his pants for slowing him down. "Sorry, Megumi - Ah! - Inori-sensei!" He spluttered, turning a full circle, mid-sprint.

"No running in the hall!" She called back, still laughing.

At exactly 1:15, he burst into a classroom full of chattering ten and eleven-year-olds. They all quieted and immediately returned to their seats as he entered, but he thought he heard some soft giggles trickling through the lines of desks.

_Well, better to just roll with it._

"Right then." He made an attempt to smooth his hair down as he came up behind the desk. "Welcome to your Intermediate Compounds class. I'm sure you've all been beside yourselves with anticipation for the past ten minutes, but that has always been my way of exciting my students curiosity. And that's the truth."

This time, a more decided wave of laughter went through the room. Seiji gave a satisfied nod. "Good! Now as you all know, I am only the substitute teacher for this class. I normally teach Language Studies at Inba High School. However, until Yoshida Nao-sensei, returns from her maternity leave, I'll be filling in.

"Hopefully it wont be too confusing, since my given name is Seiji and, as you all know, the second Kanji in "Seiji" means "to mend" and can also be read "Nao". Wait," He glanced around at their curious faces. "You _didn't_ know that?" He shook his head and smiled at each one in turn. "Well, don't worry. That's what we'll be learning about in this class."

Despite his late start, the class seemed to take off well from there. He started by asking each student their names and what the Kanji in them meant. He'd often used this method, more as mnemonic for himself than anything else. That way, he could address them by their names from the very first day.

It was very nostalgic, teaching in an Elementary School classroom again. It brought back Seiji's first three years of teaching vividly. He could still remember the names of most of his students and subconsciously calculated how old they'd be now. Twenty-one and twenty-two-year-olds.

Seijji sighed inwardly, feeling suddenly very old himself. Nearly thirty-four. He needed to hurry up and get married.

It was about twenty minutes 'til the end of class when suddenly, the door slid open. "My apologies, Tsubaki-sensei." Kagami's deep, commanding voice filled the quiet classroom as Seiji turned to look at him.

Standing in front of the tall teacher, barely coming up to his elbow, was the yellow-haired boy from the hall. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, especially so near the end of class, but…"

"No trouble at all," Seiji replied mechanically, staring down at the boy. His gold eyes were locked on the floor and his fists were at his shoulders, clutching his backpack-straps. "Sorry -" Seiji said suddenly, as Kagami turned to go. "My first day here… is he in this class?"

Kagami nodded once. "His name is Natsume Takashi. He was removed from his homeroom class for causing a commotion and was meant to spend the lunch period, as well as this class, in Shuujo-sensei's office. However, the head teacher was called away for a meeting today, so he instructed me to bring Natsume-kun back to class."

"Oh -" Seiji got halfway into a "thank you for your trouble", but Kagami had already turned back down the hall, leaving Natsume standing in the doorway alone. "Well… Natsume-kun, you can go ahead and have a seat."

The boy looked up from beneath heavy eyelids, still wearing a blank expression. He nodded, slid the door shut and turned toward the empty desk near the middle. Then he stopped.

"Natsume-kun?"

All at once, every drop of color drained from the boy's face. The heavy lids went up and his gold irises narrowed on empty desk with an unmistakable look of terror.

"Could I …" a soft, almost inaudible voice slipped out. "I - I should stand in the hall… 'cause… I was in trouble. I'm not allowed to stay..." he trailed off, continuing to stare fixedly at his desk.

"No, that's alright." Seijji watched him uncertainly. "We don't have much time left. You should copy what you can off the black board for your homework."

Natsume clutched his backpack tighter, taking another step forward. Seiji decided it would be best to move on. He turned back to face the class, raising his voice again.

"Alright, these are your practice sentences, but I have printed copies for all of you to take home. You can fill them out and bring them to me tomorrow. After that, I'll be giving you larger assignments to do in your _han_ groups."

As he spoke, Natsume finally made it to his desk and sat down in it stiffly, setting his backpack on the floor next to him. He stared hard at the blank desktop without taking out a pencil or looking at the blackboard.

Seiji sighed. He pulled one of the practice sheets out of his desk-drawer and walked through the first three lines of seats to Natsume's.

"Natsume-kun, since you haven't been here for the compounds we learned today, why don't you get a head-start on your homework now?" He set the sheet down in front of Natsume, who nodded without looking. Seiji's eyes glanced over him once more. He was sitting up very straight, shoulders tense and fists in his lap. Perhaps it was only Seiji's imagination, but he thought the two small fists were shaking a little.

He turned slowly and walked back to his desk. The classroom was silent, save for the scratching of pencil leads on paper and the occasional autumn breeze through the window . Seiji decided to use the temporary quiet to make some notes on their first class. Already, he had four or five things he needed to discuss with Yoshida-Sensei before she took over for him. He wrote in his own notebook for a few minutes, then glanced up at Natsume again.

The boy had a pencil out now, and was leaning intently over his paper, but still not writing. In the silence, Seiji started to hear a soft muttering sound.

"I can't. Go away, I can't see you." The words were so quiet, Seiji could barely make them out. "I can't see you… I can't!"

"Sensei!" Wataru Daichi raised his hand in the air before pointing his whole arm sideways at Natsume. "Takashi's talking in class!"

"As are you, Wataru-kun." Seiji raised an eyebrow at the dark-haired ten-year-old until he reluctantly dropped his hand. "Natsume-kun, please be quiet until the end of class."

"Sensei…" Natsume said softly. "May I please have a bathroom pass?"

Seiji ran a hand down the back of his head. "Well… no, wait 'til the end of class. It'll only be about ten minutes now."

Natsume didn't answer, but leaned even closer to his paper. He pressed his hand against the side of his face, as if to block out the sunlight pouring through the open window.

The room fell quiet again.

Seiji glanced at his watch. Ten minutes_._ He wondered what time Megumi's classes would end for the day. They'd planned to have dinner together after school let out, to celebrate his first day as a substitute teacher.

Of course, she would probably be helping with several different clubs. She'd always loved the extra curricular activities with the children, more than the stuffy classrooms. Seiji caught himself smiling.

Then suddenly, he heard of sound of paper sliding over wood and Natsume muttered louder than before, "Stop it - no, go away!"

Seiji looked up to see the boy had sat up straight again, accidentally brushing his practice sheet onto the floor. A moment later, his pencil rolled off of his desktop as he slammed his palms against the inside edge, fully shouting, "No, no stop!"

"Natsume-k -"

Without warning, he pulled his hands off the desk, locked them at his sides and flung his head down toward the desktop. His forehead slammed onto the hard wood with a bang that made Seiji flinch. The boy gave small cry as the momentum carried him halfway back up and tipped him sideways.

He tumbled out of his seat and landed on his side next to it, holding his forehead in both hands.

"Natsume-kun!" Seiji was already halfway out of his chair as every head in the classroom turned to stare down at the boy on the floor. "Natsume-kun, are you alright?" Seiji ran two steps and came to a stop in front of the first line of desks.

Just then, a strong breeze went through the window, billowing the curtains outward. The students held their papers down with as the edges peeled up and blew toward the window. Seiji inhaled sharply. He felt cold all through, as if his insides had filled with Hokkaido rainwater.

A long-gone memory stirred in his mind; a memory he'd pushed down for years and years. Something in the dark… there were things out there, whispering. _In the dark…_

The breeze died away. The damp coldness evaporated from Seiji's chest.

Natsume sat up on his knees, still clutching his forehead and staring down at the floor. Slowly, he looked up toward the window, golden eyes apprehensive. After a moment, the tension seemed to lift away and he dropped his gaze again.

Seiji walked a few steps closer, his shoe soles making an echoing sound in the silent room. "Natsume-kun… why did you do that?"

"I didn't," The boy barely whispered. "I… I really didn't do it."

Seiji blinked. Was he trying to get a classmate in trouble? Seiji glanced automatically at Wataru, but he was staring at Natsume, too, his face showing nothing but curiosity. "I was looking right at you," Seiji said hesitantly. "No one pushed you."

"Sensei, Takashi-kun tells lies!" Mawato Ayame, today's student monitor, spoke up loudly from her seat next to the window. "He makes up stories about ghosts and spirits talking to him and chasing him around." She shook her head with an attempt at adult-disappointment. "He just does it to scare people."

"It's true," Wataru interjected. "That's why he had to leave homeroom this morning!"

"Yeah, he's a liar!" Another boy from across the room called out.

"He's creepy!"

A few other's piped up with similar remarks and Seiji straightened up, raising his hand for silence. The elementary-students quieted down instantly, pretending to return to their papers.

"Natsume-kun?" Natsume looked up from under his hands. His eyes were squinted with pain, but other than that, his expression had returned to its usual emptiness. "Do you have anything to say?"

The boy slowly dropped hands, and shook his head from side to side. At the small movement, a little trickle of red slipped down from the peak of his forehead and stopped just above his nose.

"Hey, he's bleeding!" The girl at the desk in front of Wataru's exclaimed. "Tsubaki-sensei, he's bleeding!"

Seiji felt his nerves spike for the umpteenth time today, and he quickly bent down to help Natsume up. "Alright, calm down, Hayate-chan. Come on, Natsume-kun, let's get you to the nurse's office."

"I'm okay," Natsume replied quietly, picking up his backpack as he stood.

"Well, that's good, but I want to be safe." Partway through his sentence, the bell rang shrilly in the hall. Natsume shouldered his bag and ran for the door before Mawato could dismiss the class. "N - Natsume-kun!"

Natsume threw the sliding door back and bolted away without shutting it behind him. Seiji stared at the now empty doorway as the students' murmurs and whispers filled the classroom.

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><p><em>TBC…<em>

_Note: _Yes, I do know the name of creepy Matoba-clan-eyepatch-guy is Seiji (now). When I started writing this, I didn't realize that, and by then it was too late to change it. Fortunately, it is a common Japanese given name, so... you know? *is swallowed by fail-whale* XP


	2. Part 2

Part 2! Hope you enjoy. :)

* _italic sentence: _thought *_"Italic sentence in qhotes": _memory

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><p>"Stop laughing, it isn't funny!" Seiji protested loudly to be heard over Megumi's full, none-too-graceful fit of giggles.<p>

"Well, it's a _little_ funny, isn't it? I mean, your _first day_ and already, one of your students is bleeding from the head?" She stifled her laughter in a mock-serious face. "Really, Tsubaki, what did you do to them?"

Seiji face-planted in both palms and groaned. "It _isn't_ me. I'm telling you, problem-students follow me no matter what grade I'm teaching. Ever since that boy from my first year teaching fifth grade homeroom, it's like they're stalking me or something."

Megumi laughed harder for a few moments and then quieted down, smiling at him genuinely. "Even so, you're awfully good with them."

Seiji felt his face warm, but shook his head. "Well… Thank you. I don't agree, but thank you."

"Hmm…" she crossed her thin arms on the counter top and glanced around. The restaurant wasn't very crowded yet; one of the advantages of leaving school early.

Seiji was relieved for the break before the next day of class. Who knew what it might bring?

Deep down, he knew Megumi's teasing was only in an effort to make him feel better. Even in high school, he'd always taken the slightest failure hard, and she had usually been the only one to see it.

"Still…" He glanced back up at her. She was still staring at room around them, her dark eyes unfocused and the sweet smile fading slightly. "I know a little bit about Natsume Takashi… stories from other teachers. He's caused this kind of interruption before."

Seiji nodded. "Apparently he was asked to leave homeroom this morning."

Megumi sighed and frowned down at the tabletop. "You know he's… staying with Hidoshi-san and his wife. You know, the man who's like, a marketing analyst or something for Kawasaki Motors?"

"Uh… yes actually, they live in my neighborhood…" he rested his elbow on the table, chin on his palm. "You said 'staying with'?"

Megumi nodded. "They're his current foster parents. He's and orphan."

Ever so slowly, Seiji's elbow slid back of the table and his hand fell in his lap. He leaned back in his seat, eyes wandering to the window next to them and the gathering storm clouds overhead. "Oh… I see."

"Tsubaki…" Megumi's voice trailed off uncertainly, but a moment later, it was back with a tone of earnestness. "I've been a little worried about Takashi ever since he started coming here. One time in my class, he suddenly screamed, insisting that there was a women's face in the window, grinning at him."

She ran her fingers up and down her arms and shivered. "To be honest, it really creeped me out. You know, there _is_ a legend around the school about this murdered _hime_ who would curse anyone who looked at her…" Megumi gave small, nervous giggle before shaking her head. "So maybe he's heard about that and wanted to scare some people… but still… He doesn't seem like the sort of boy to make up stories just to cause trouble like that. So when I found out he was a foster child… I thought you might… well - just since…"

"Since I'm an orphan, too, I might understand him." Seiji finally turned his head back to look at her. She'd pulled her arms tighter, the top layers of her hair falling like twin curtains around her face.

"I'm sorry."

"No…" he shook his head and tried to smile for her. "You're right, I mean… I suppose that's probably why kids like him seem to pop up wherever I go. I just notice them…" His mind went back to the brush against Natsume in the hall that morning; the way everything seemed to slow down, the way his eyes had looked. "I guess I see myself in them straight away."

"Well…" Megumi said into the silence. "Don't feel bad about this afternoon, okay? You're a great teacher; these kids are lucky to have you. Takashi, too."

His smile filled out a bit. "Thanks, Megumi."

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><p>Autumn rainstorms were the worst. Whatever warm air had been leftover from the summer seemed to wash away in an instant, leaving a sharp, wet chill in its wake. Seiji had been shivering since he'd left the train station, pulling his worn black trench-coat tight around him as he walked.<p>

His street, lined on both sides brown-board fences, was usually full of people returning from work at this time in the evening. But today, everyone was in a mad rush to get to their warm, dry living-rooms.

As Seiji trudged a little wearily up the gray sidewalk, an old man passed by with a newspaper over his head, trying to keep of little of the rain spatter off his balding head. Across him, on the opposite sidewalk, a young couple walked a little slower, trying to keep dry under the same umbrella, but too engrossed with each other's conversation to notice it wasn't working.

Seiji noticed that the girl was very obviously pregnant. One glance at the young man had Seiji hoping the baby bore strong resemblance to its mother. He held back a snort as he walked on.

Certainly, some people just made cuter babies than others. Megumi, as a random example, would probably have adorable children.

Seiji's mind wandered as he glanced up at the angry, ash-colored sky. White drops shot past his vision on both sides, as if he were rocketing upwards, into those massive clouds. Then a drop landed directly in his eye.

"Ah! Oh…" he fell to grumbling and came to a stop, rubbing his eyelids together. His black umbrella, now held only in his left hand, suddenly caught the wind and tried to pull away. "No, no you don't!" Seiji snapped at it under his breath and held it with both hands. The rain pelted his unprotected head for a while, and then finally, the wind died down. He held the umbrella aloft again, looking down at his coat.

Now he was wet. Autumn rainstorms sucked.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a little blur of orange and yellow. He turned to his right, eyes climbing up the stone steps in front of him, to a narrow alcove over the nearest house's front door. On the doorjamb ledge, there sat a little boy with his knees pulled up to his chest, both arms wrapped tightly on top. His face was buried in the orange jacket sleeves, and his pale yellow hair lay in a damp mass all over.

"Natsume-kun?"

The blond head came up with a start. Natsume's hooded gold eyes widened just a little and he sniffed through his red nose loudly. Seiji noticed a small Band-Aid near the top of his forehead

"…Ts - Tsubaki-sensei. Good evening."

"Good evening to you. Glad to see you got that bruise taken care of." Seiji stood at the bottom step, glancing around at the house's dark windows. "That's right… I heard you lived near here. I live just down the road. So…" he looked over his shoulder at the vacant sidewalks and then turned back. "Aren't the Hidoshi's back yet?"

Natsume shook his head, running his sleeve cuff under his dripping nose before answering. "Hidoshi Kagura-san sometimes gets home late and Hidoshi Izuku-san works until eleven every night."

"I see… why don't you wait for them inside? You'll catch a cold out here."

"The door's locked."

Seiji blinked. "Did you lose your key?"

"Um… I don't have one." He looked down, keeping his hand over his mouth. "They don't like me to be… in the house alone 'cause… sometimes ah - I make a mess."

"Oh…" Seiji felt his feet moving. He'd climbed the porch steps. _What do you think you're doing?_

"Still… that's a little…" He stopped. Now only a few feet away, he could look straight down into Natsume's pale, cold-flushed face.

It was all so familiar, as if he was looking down at himself and finding he hadn't aged a day in twenty-three years. But he had. He was one of those things called a "grown-up" now; the things he'd longed for and been denied all his childhood. And now he was one, himself. Wasn't he?

Or, perhaps, was he just a teacher?

Natsume's round eyes blinked up at him questioningly.

_Grown-up._

"Well, I'll wait with you then." He turned around, shaking the excess water off of his umbrella. He leaned against the doorjamb next to Natsume, holding the umbrella over them both.

Natsume sniffed again, staring at him. "You …you don't have to -"

"Of course I do. It'll be dark soon, you can't sit out here alone in the dark." Seiji winked at him. "Isn't it creepy?"

"I'm… not scared of the dark…" he sounded like he might go on for a moment. Instead, he buried his face in both arms again, up to his eyes.

"Really?" Seiji shivered. "When I was your age, I was terrified of the dark."

"Why?"

"Well…" He slid his back slowly down the wall and then sat back on his ankles, still clutching the umbrella over both their heads. Now more or less on eyelevel, he tried a smile on the boy. "You know, I… used to think I could hear things out there." He looked around at the gray sidewalks. "Once or twice, I even thought I _saw_ things but… mostly, I just felt it. Like a presence - like someone following me or watching me."

Natsume turned his head slowly to look at him. "'Things'?"

Seiji nodded but then went on quickly, "I was only imagining it but… yeah. It scared me a lot. Of course, when I told people about it, they told me I was making stuff up to scare them." He shrugged and added casually, "Said I was a liar."

Natsume said nothing, but Seiji felt the golden gaze on him. "When I told my various foster parents that I could feel things in the dark, they told me it was nothing and to stop talking about it… and when I didn't, sometimes…"

He turned to meet Natsume's gaze again. The boy's eyes were wide, his mouth open a little. But then he quickly looked back down at his knees. "So then, I really _did_ start making things up. I wanted people to listen and believe me, so I made up more and more stories about things I could see and hear. I talked about it so much, I almost made _myself_ believe it."

Natsume's face sank deeper into his arms. "Really?"

The single, hollow word stung Seiji's heart for some reason. Another buried memory turned hot at the back of his mind.

"_Seiji-kun, what happened? You're eye - "_

"_I just fell. My bike got a flat."_

"_Oh, I see… is that all? Really?"_

"_Really."_

That faraway time… those long, shadowed days when no one listened, no one cared enough to ask twice or try to see what was really happening. Not a grown-up in sight.

"…Natsume-kun -"

From some ten feet away, there came the sticky sound of tires over wet pavement. A very small, very black Nissan, that couldn't have fit more than two comfortably, came to a stop in the drive.

Natsume's head came up a little, his damp bangs tossing in the breeze. "Kagura-san," he said toward the car.

Seiji suddenly felt rather like a trespasser and stood up from the doorway. Natsume's eyes followed him. "Th - thank you, Tsubaki-sensei. For waiting with me, I mean."

Seiji smiled at him. "Natsume-kun, do you have a cell phone?"

Natsume looked confused, but he nodded, pointing toward his backpack. "Hidoshi-san lent it to me for emergencies."

"Alright." Seiji reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out his writing pen. "Eh… paper… um - here." He crouched down again and took Natsume's right hand from off of his knee. It felt small and cold under Seiji's fingers. He turned the hand over and wrote his phone number on Natsume's palm. The boy him watched in silence.

From behind, the car door opened and there came the _whoosh-snap_ of and umbrella blooming out of the driver's side. Seiji finished writing quickly and stood up again.

"Natsume-kun," he said seriously. "If you ever need anything… at all. Even if you just have something to say, call that number, okay?"

_I shouldn't be doing this._ The thought pricked his mind once, but he ignored it. Natsume looked down at the crooked numbers on his open hand. His eyes disappeared beneath the yellow bangs.

"Mm," was all he said, giving a single nod.

Seiji nodded back, then turned, walking quickly down the pathway. He got to the sidewalk just as a sharp-faced woman in a tight business suit came around the car.

"Good evening," he said confidently.

"And to you," She replied a little stiffly, already halfway up the now empty walk. Satisfied that he'd avoided any awkward explanations, Seiji continued towards his own home, feeling the chill more than ever.

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><p><em>TBC...<em>


	3. Part 3

Part 3

Thank you for the reviews! Hope you enjoy. :)

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><p>The next day's class was fairly uneventful. Natsume barely said a word for the entire fifty minutes, but he didn't do anything strange either.<p>

In the end, the only class disruption came when Hayete insisted that the assignment was too difficult for someone her age. Surprisingly, Seiji couldn't seem to talk her out of the idea, even after reminding her that many of the children in his class were ten years old, while she was already eleven.

He relayed his frustrations to Megumi in the teachers' break room later. She laughed, but granted that she'd been the exact same way in elementary school.

When classes ended at 3:30pm and the children began splitting off for their various clubs and activities, Seiji found himself debating whether he should go home or not. Being only a substitute teacher, he had no club direction responsabilities of his own. He thought of asking Megumi to dinner again, but then (with mild disappointment) he remembered that she was in charge of choir club until 4:30 and classroom cleanup until 6:00.

So, with absolutely nothing else to do besides riding the train back to his empty house, Seiji decided to wander around Kioroshi Elementary for a while. Yesterday's rain had more-or-less dried up, leaving a fall crispness in the air and red leaves all over the parking lot.

Seiji stared up at the blue sky which was turning pink at the edges. On the opposite horizon, a pile of gray clouds were surging forward in some unfelt wind, far above. Seiji grimaced. Perhaps it would be better to go home early after all. He didn't fancy walking to the train station in pouring rain.

"C'mon, c'mon! Hey, guys, Takashi wants to play!"

Seiji heard the young voices filtering up from the covered walkway below him. He strolled to the balcony wall, looking down at the small patch of grass and bushes. Wataru and some other boys were standing in a half circle, facing Natsume.

"Okay, Natsume," an older boy with very short black hair said. "Hide-and-seek or dodge ball?" He tossed and caught a soccer ball with both hands for emphasis.

Natsume glanced between his face and the ball in silence for a moment. "Hide-and-seek," he murmured, almost too quietly for Seiji to hear.

"Alright!"

"Let's do it," a few boys shouted.

Wataru stood next to Natsume and hooked an arm behind his neck. "Okay, Takashi. You picked, so you go first. Make sure you hide good, and we'll all look. Sound fun?"

"Yeah."

"Great. C'mon guys, let's count over there." Wataru let go and led the group toward the walkway. The one with the short hair tossed his soccer ball on the ground and followed. Wataru turned to call over his shoulder, "Go on, go hide!"

Natsume spun around and ran toward the bushes against the brick wall. He pushed the branches forward, making enough space to squeeze down behind one, and then let go so that he disappeared behind the leaves.

"'Kay, let's go," Wataru's voice hissed from below.

Seiji crossed to the other side of the balcony and watched the group emerge from beneath. Once they were far enough away, Wataru high-fived the boy with the short hair, who snickered under his breath, "Later, freak."

Wataru made a raspberry sound by way of a laugh and a few others cackled at top volume. They ran off talking loudly.

Seiji felt one hand tighten into a fist inside his coat pocket. Yes, he remembered _this_ version of hide-and-seek.

He strode to the stone stairs and down from the balcony. His shoes rustled over damp leaves and crushed dry, brown ones as he walked onto the grass. He stopped in front of Natsume's bush.

"Hm…" he reached down and yanked the branches back. Natsume was hugging his knees again, his huge golden eyes staring up at Seiji in surprise. "Fo-o-und you! I'm it."

"Tsubaki-sensei."

"Want to come out? You're getting leaves in your hair." He stretched out his left hand. Natsume looked at it, then also reached up with his left hand, keeping his right in a fist at his side.

He hesitated, pulling the fingers back a little. Seiji beat him to it, taking the smaller hand firmly and pulling Natsume up from behind the bush.

"That's more like it." He ruffled the boy's yellow bangs, brushing the leaf pieces away. "Aren't you in any clubs or sports?"

Natsume shook his head.

"Yeah, me neither." Seiji glanced around. The abandoned soccer ball lay a few feet away. He wandered over to it and kicked it lightly from one foot to the other. "I'm just a sub, so I have nothing to do this afternoon. Want to start a soccer team?"

"What?" Natsume had been watching the ball roll back and forth, but his face came up with a questioning look.

"You and me. Here, pass!" Seiji gave the ball small but firm kick with the inside of his foot. It bounced across the dry leaves toward Natsume, who quickly bent down and grabbed it in both hands. Seiji had to stifle a laugh. "Natsume-kun, you can't touch it with your hands."

Natsume looked down at the ball he was now holding to his chest and then back. "Really?"

"Yeah, you can use almost anything _except_ your hands, actually."

"But I thought… you're supposed to catch it before it hits you, or you're out."

"No, that's dodge ball. Haven't you played soccer before?" Again, the boy shook his head, holding the ball tightly. "Ever seen other people playing?"

He nodded uncertainly. "I think so. But I didn't know the rules."

"Ah. Well, I'll show you." Seiji gestured at the ground and Natsume set the ball down. As he let go, Seiji saw his open right hand for a minute. The pen-ink was smudged from sweat and the numbers were now illegible, but they were definitely still there.

Natsume closed his fist again and straightened up. "Good, now the thing with soccer is that's it's all about kicking, so the first thing is to kick the ball without hurting your foot. Try turning you toes out and kicking it with the side of your foot."

Natsume did as he was told and gave the ball a sort of nudge. "Oh, come _on_." Seiji grinned at him. "You're not gonna hurt it."

For a split-second, the shadow of a smile crossed Natsume's face, but soon disappeared under his bangs as he drew his leg back. He kicked the ball solidly with, more-or-less, the correct part of his sneaker.

The ball bounced a little toward Seiji's right and he took a hasty step back to catch it on his shin. It dropped down between his feet again. "Well done! So the idea here is to get the ball into the other players' goals." Seiji surveyed the little grass lot around them. "Let's say your goal is the past the corner there, and mine is the walkway back here."

Natsume's gaze followed his and then he nodded. "Okay."

"Come'n atcha'." Seiji dribbled the ball from shoe to shoe, then wound back and kicked it hard. It shot over the leaves and straight past Natsume. The boy spun in time to watch it roll around the corner, out of sight. "Ah well, you're going against a pro here, so don't feel bad."

Natsume turned back around slowly. His young face was drawn tight in a determined frown to keep from smiling again. Seiji hid a grin of his own and waved a hand dismissively. "You may as well just give up now."

"No way." Natsume dashed around the corner and came back, kicking the ball a little at a time. He stopped a few feet away and gave a hard, diagonal kick. It wasn't well aimed, but with the entire walkway couting as the goal line, all it took was Seiji's miscalculated dive.

He missed and stumbled a little to keep balance. The sound of the ball bouncing off concrete echoed beneath the walk cover.

"O-oh. Okay." Seiji wandered over and snatched up the ball, tossing it back onto the grass. "_That's_ how you wanna do it."

He and Natsume pounced on the ball at once, kicking more at each other's feet than the ball itself, and sending wet leaves flying everywhere.

Seiji got loose first and dodged around Natsume's shoulder, guiding the ball with him. With his attention focused on the building corner, he didn't even see how Natsume got back around him. The boy shot past like a blur and before Seiji knew it, the ball was bouncing around on the walkway again.

"Fast!" He remarked under his breath. "Why aren't you on any teams, Natsume-kun?"

Natsume didn't seem to hear as he ran to get the ball back. He came back in an instant and they went at it again. Pretty soon, Seiji was barely keeping up and he could feel sweat start to roll down his forehead. Natsume's cheeks were flushed bright pink and his nose was dripping from the cold again.

Even so, they kept going at full speed. The storm clouds grew thicker overhead and the shadows started to fade into a general gray on the grass.

But Seiji didn't want to stop. By the time Natsume made his sixth goal, there was a definite smile playing around his mouth and reaching all the way up to his gold eyes.

Seiji managed another goal of his own and watched Natsume run to get the ball. He came back with it in his arms, looking even more pink in the face. "It went far," he said breathlessly.

"There. I still have _some_ of my touch, don't I?"

Natsume smiled. He opened his mouth to reply, but abruptly, he stopped.

The smile vanished away completely.

Seiji saw the boy's eyes move up and past him, shimmering as they widened. A breeze lifted his hair up a second before it reached Seiji. In the silence, the soccer ball slipped from Natsume's arms.

"Natsume-kun?"

It hit the ground with the echoing sound of air against air.

Natsume continued to stare straight past Seiji, mouth still frozen open. Seiji spun around and looked back at the empty walkway, the grass lot, and the silent balcony above.

The breeze continued to blow coldly over them, as if emphasizing the vacant space.

"Natsume-kun, there's nothing there…"

He turned back, staring at Natsume's terror-stricken face. "Ah - I…" His jaw moved up and down, but he still didn't speak or look back at Seiji.

"Listen to me, Natsume-kun. There's nobody here but us. I promise."

"I - I… sorry…" He shook his head, tossing the yellow hair back and forth. Then he turned away fast, starting to run but still staring back over his shoulder.

"Natsume-kun!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry -" he broke off, as he veered around the corner and disappeared.

Seiji started to run after him, but even as he made it to the corner, he knew he'd never catch up. Once again, he turned and surveyed the now utterly empty lot behind him.

The cold breeze built suddenly and surged past him. For a second, the air around him swirled and tossed leaves around in a whirlwind. The wet chill seemed to reach straight down to his core, making him shiver inside and out, just like in the classroom.

The feeling was familiar. Too familiar.

_Out there in the dark._

_Eyes watching in the dark. _

Then, as suddenly as it had come, the wind died away, leaving the memories frozen to the front of his mind.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...<em>


	4. Part 4

Part 4

Thanks again for reading, guys! Hope you enjoy. :)

note: _line in italics: _thought _"line in italice and qhotes": _memory

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm not lying, I swear! They're in here, I can hear them… I can tell you what they're say -"<em>

"_Enough! No more lies, no more stories. I'm tired of dealing with this, Seiji-kun!"_

"_They're not stories - just listen to me!" _

"_Shut up! You heard her, we don't want any more of it, Tsubaki. You'll stay in this room 'til you're ready to stop telling lies." _

"_No, don't! It's too dark - please, I'm not lying!" _

"_This is too much, I can't… not anymore. Just… stay in here for now. We'll find you a new foster home tomorrow. Just stay, Seiji-kun." _

_No…_

_Stay away, Seiji-kun_

_Let me out!_

_Seiji-kun…_

"Shuuichi-kuuuun!"

Seiji blinked and rubbed his eyes hard. The cold was making him sleepy. Where had he wandered? After searching around the school grounds for Natsume over the last hour or so, he was now tyring to make himself go to the train station and head home already.

Yet he seemed to keep passing the station street, always winding up back at the road leading to the school parking lot.

Right now, he realized he was standing halfway between the two locations, on the sidewalk outside a cake shop. There were dark-haired heads bobbing up and down all around him; a pressing sea of bodies, steadily making their way home.

Hadn't someone called his name? Surely it had just been in his head. But then he heard the call again.

"Shuuichi-kun! Wait up!"

Ah. Not his name. Someone was calling to somebody else on the opposite sidewalk. His eyes flitted toward the sound to make sure.

A girl with bouncing reddish hair and wearing a very short skirt was running down the less-crowded sidewalk. She came to a stop in front of a young man with dark blond hair, who was wearing a beige, fur-trimmed fashion coat.

"Chizuru-chan! Good evening. Did you curl your hair?"

"Mm! You like it? I wasn't sure…"

"It suits you."

The young man's soft, nonchalant voice tugged at something nostalgic in Seiji's mind. Without realizing it, he stepped off his own sidewalk and began wandering across the huge white rectangles painted onto the street as a crosswalk.

"Shuuichi-kun! Oh, Chi-chan. You're here, too, I guess." The pair were joined by a second girl with a dark, layered bob and a wearing a dress-length T-shirt with some cartoon character on it. She looked distinctly disappointed as she laid eyes on the red-head . But almost immediately, she turned here attention back on the blonde boy. "I came to ask how your audition went."

"Oh, you know. I haven't decided if it's for me or not, but I'll see how they do."

"Oh, Shuuichi-kun, you make it sound like _they_ were the ones auditioning!"

"Weren't they?" He quirked an innocent smile and the two girls burst into giggles. Seiji came to a stop a good ten feet away from the group, becoming more certain of his hunch with every word.

"Wow, you really are a celebrity, huh?" Chizuru twisted a red curl around her index finger, looking downward shyly. "You'll be number one in Japan pretty soon, I guess."

The young man shrugged, running a hand through his own wave of thick hair. "I suppose I can't really avoid it." As he dropped his hand, face coming back down, Seiji found himself staring straight into the boy's eyes. They were just as he remembered; slanted, crystal clear and the strangest shade of dark red.

The lids opened and closed in a startled blink. "Ah - will you two excuse me? I have to -"

"No problem!" The dark haired girl nodded quickly and took Chizuru's elbow in both hands. "Let's go, Chi-chan. Shuuichi-kun's busy."

Seiji didn't heard Chizuru's objection because, in an instant, the two had vanished into a moving crowd fresh off the crosswalk. Just like that, he found himself alone with the blonde boy.

"Natori… Shuuichi," Seiji murmured, still feeling a little stunned.

"Tsubaki-sensei!" He grinned, spreading his arms wide. "Small world, isn't it? Or maybe just a small prefecture."

"That's really you, isn't it?" Seiji smiled and shook his head. "You've grown."

Natori ran a hand lightly down the side of his face. "I hope so. I haven't seen you since I was in the fifth grade."

Seiji glanced at the spot where the two girls had disappeared. "You're very popular, I see."

Natori sighed and looked down. His face came back up wearing a charismatic smile that very loosly resembled a smirk. "Hard not to be. That's the fate of all gifted youths who become famous so quickly."

"Ah….haah." Seiji winced his way into a weak smile. "So you're an actor, then?"

"Yup." Natori shrugged, dropping his theatrical persona on the ground. "I graduated Kyudai - eh, that's Kyushu University, last year and I've been doing mostly tv rolls and commercials since then. This last audition was for a movie called "Unstable". I'm hoping it's a working title."

Seiji laughed. "Wait, how can you have graduated last year? If I'm counting right, you're only twenty-one."

"You were only twenty-_three_ when you were teaching at my school, Sensei. Some people are just good at particular things."

"Well, you must be truly gifted at acting, then."

Natori gave an odd little of snort and shook his head. "Oh, yeah. Definitely."

For a long moment, they stood in silence. The swarms of people moved back and forth around them, cars crawling by to avoid hitting pedestrians. Memories of that first year teaching fifth grade were flooding Seiji's mind.

No wonder these circumstances with Natsume felt so surreal; it was practically history repeating itself. And here was the center of that history, right in front of him.

"Natori-kun - ah, no… I suppose it's '_san_' now, isn't it?"

"Just 'Natori' is fine."

"Alright… Well, you're over twenty now." He paused while Natori gave an affirming nod. "This feels odd but.. would you mind having a drink with me?"

A grin spread over sharp, young face. "Sure thing, Sensei. You're buying."

* * *

><p>They were delayed by a total six girls and even a couple high school boys, swarming around Natori as they turned each corner. Several seemed to know him from the area, but most simply blurted that they were huge fans and asked for autographs.<p>

As they finally walked into the small, moderately crowded pub, Natori was panting exaggeratedly and fanning his face with one hand.

"Ha-ah…" he sighed. "I'll have to start wearing a hat in public. Shall we sit?"

Seiji let him lead the way to the bar and they ordered their drinks from a square-jawed man behind the counter.

"So…" Seiji began awkwardly. "You're… living around here?"

"That's right. Top floor of the Hiiro building. The view's pretty incredible."

Seiji smiled, resting the heals of his shoes on the middle rung of his barstool. "Sounds nice."

"What about you, Sensei?"

"Mm. Small house in a small neighborhood, at the tail end of the Hokusou line."

Natori bobbed his head in a nod. "That sounds nicer."

"It's a long commute to Inba High, but I prefer it to the city."

The square-jawed bartender set their glasses down in front of them and they picked them up in unison. "To Chiba," said Natori, tilting the base of his glass toward Seiji.

They each took a drink. Natori swallowed first. "So have you married Inori-san yet?"

The half of Seiji's drink that was still in his mouth went shooting back over the rim of the glass. He spent a few moments coughing while Natori chuckled.

"Glad to see," He replied dryly, clearing his throat, "That you're as - Ahm - straightforward as ever."

"Was I like that in elementary school, too?"

"Only a little."

"Well, good thing you're teaching highschoolers now, right?"

"Yes… well, actually…" Seiji hesitated. Perhaps it was too early in the conversation to bring this up. Then again, it _was_ the opening he'd been looking for. "…that's something I wanted to ask you about."

"Nn?" Natori's response echoed inside his glass.

"Right now, I'm substitute-teaching fifth grade language studies at Kioroshi Elementary. I've only done two classes now but…" he paused, swirling the ice around in his glass. "Eh… there's this one boy -"

"Ah-hah."

Seiji could hear the smirk in his voice. "What?"

"Nothing…" Natori snorted before taking another drink. "As expected from you, Tsubaki-sensei. Nosiest grown-up I ever met."

"_Thanks_ for that," Seiji grumbled. "I mean, I only gave him my cell number, in case he… well, perhaps I shouldn't have done even that, but…" he trailed off for a moment before clearing his throat purposefully.

"Either way, I'm just wondering…" Natori's glass made a clunking sound as he said it down. "Because it's the same… the same as back then."

He glanced at Natori who stared down at the counter. A little too quickly, his face came back up in a grin. "You mean when I used spout nonsense about seeing mermaids, getting chased by Ayakashi, having tea with fox demons, blah-blah-blah…"

The younger man shook his head, tossing the thick blonde hair back and forth. "Kids'll say anything to get attention, huh?"

"Natori… we both know there was more to it than that."

Natori's deep red eyes met Seiji's gaze for a moment, before falling slowly to the bar counter again. He lifted his glass, running a finger around a glistening ring of condensation on the counter.

"Oh… heh. That." He laughed lightly under his breath. "Adults… It always had to be _something_ like that, didn't it? You just happened to be right that time."

"Natori…"

He shrugged. "Whatever. I got used to it. Must've lived in a dozen homes like that. They weren't the worst people in the world, you know? Anyone can be like that with enough alcohol in'em."

Seiji's chest tightened. He took another sip of his own drink. "Yeah… I know."

"I know you know… That's why I trusted you." This last, Natori murmured so softly, Seiji wasn't sure he'd heard right. "So! What does this cute little sob-story have to do with the boy in your class?"

Seiji glanced sideways at him, but opted for simply answering. "He claims he that he sees Youkai - ghosts and things, too."

"He told you that?"

"No… he hasn't said as much to _me_, but I heard it from other teachers and students, and… there was an inscident in my class yesterday. He behaved… very oddly. Talking to himself and then - ah…" Seiji shook his head. "It was all so strange… and making up stories like, it won't be enough to tell anyone what's really going on with him."

"_You_ know what's going on, Sensei?" Natori's dark eyes narrowed a little. "You're sure?"

Seiji nodded slowly. "I think I do. I don't know his guardians, but like you said, anyone could be - that kind of person. Moreover, it was the same with both you and me, wasn't it? We lied because we just needed someone to listen."

"Maybe we just needed everyone to stop telling us we were lying."

He turned his head, frowning towards Natori's profile. "What?"

"Maybe this kid is sick of being called a liar."

They both fell into silence. Seiji continued to watch the young man next to him, waiting for him to go on. The bartender walked over and refilled their drinks before returning to the line at the end of the counter.

"Sensei…" Natori said at last, staring down at his full glass. "When I was in middle school, there was this stray dog in a neighborhood I passed on my way home every day. It went around to the houses, begging for food, you know? I watched it a few times. When it came into people's yards, they'd kick it or throw rocks, or just anything to make it leave.

"After a long time, I remember walking back from school at the start of the fall quarter, and it was just lying outside the neighborhood fence, not moving or anything. I mean, it was alive, just…" He shook his head. "Anyway, my aunt and uncle were out of town, so I got the dog to follow me home. But uh…" he trailed off softly.

"What?"

Natori's eyes came up, squinted slightly by a mirthless smile. "It wouldn't eat. No matter how much I tried, it wouldn't take anything. I guess it thought it'd get kicked in the face again."

"So… what happened to it?"

He rolled his head to one shoulder and picked up his glass. "Oh, my aunt and uncle got back. Had it put down while I was at school one day."

Seiji flinched. "That's -"

"Well, it was dying anyway. Animals don't live long without eating."

They let the silence fall back in for a few moments.

"So… You're saying that that's what'll happen to the boy in my class?"

"Nah, not really. But dogs and kids have some stuff in common." Natori gave him a dull wink. "They know better than to keep trying after they've had it thrown back on them once to often. How many people do you think this kid has said 'I can see Youkai' to? How many times have they told him he's imagining things, or called him a liar?"

Seiji set his glass down rather loudly, letting out an incredulous laugh. "Come on, _you_ make it sound as if I should believe him!"

"Oh, how hard would it be?" Natori set his glass down, too. He planted his folded arms on the counter between them. "For five minutes, how hard would be to believe he's telling the truth?"

Seiji opened his mouth to answer, but stopped as he looked at Natori's expectant face. The mouth was a tight line. The careless, dark red eyes now seemed to be staring straight into him; waiting for him.

Daring him. _To do what?_

Seiji almost spoke the question aloud, but his own memories held his tongue still.

There was _nothing_ out there, in the darkness. No voices whispering or hands reaching out to grab him. Those stories were just smoke-screens, in order to keep from admitting the ugly reality. He'd spent his whole life trying to reassure himself of that.

To say otherwise now…

"I can't." The words slipped out as he thought them to himself. "There's… no point in doing that. It's not the real problem here."

Natori's gaze held him for another few breaths, and then abruptly, the tension fell away and he returned to his casual smile.

"Right. _Real_." He drained what was left in his glass in one gulp and set it down with a satisfied sigh. "Ah well. I say more power to the kid, if he stops telling people that stuff. He'll be happier in the end, when they don't think he's a freak all the time."

_Freak._

"Natori -"

"It was great catching up with you, Tsubaki-sensei. Good luck with the fifth graders, and everything." He pressed his hands against the front edge of his stool, pushing himself backwards until he slid off.

"Sorry, but I've got a lot going on this evening. Obligation parties and junk, you know. But, hey, thanks for the drink!"

"Natori…" Seiji turned on his own stool, looking at the tall youth on eye-level. "What you said before…"

Natori laughed under his breath, sticking both hands in his coat pockets. "Don't sweat it, Sensei. You're a really good teacher. Always have been."

He turned and Seiji watched him stride to the entrance door. He pulled out one hand, sticking it in the air in a half-wave before walking out. The door swung shut with the soft sound of a bell chime and a hollow thump.

_A 'good teacher', huh? _Seiji turned back to his own drink, listening absently to the murmur of conversation around the room. _What exactly is _that _worth?_

He pulled out his wallet and dropped a few bills on the counter, picking up his glass for the last drink.

All at once, he heard an insistent, computerized ringing and his coat pocket began to vibrate. He set his glass down and reached in to pull out the cell phone. _Megumi?_ No, that wasn't right. She had a separate ringtone on his phone.

He looked at the display screen. It was a long string of numbers he didn't recognize with the words 'unknown caller' flashing beneath.

"Hm…" He pressed the talk button, holding the phone to his ear. "_Moshi-moshi_. This is Tsubaki."

There was no answer. He pressed the phone close, covering his other ear with his hand. There was a sound like high-pitched static, but not mechanical. Seiji leaned close to the counter, trying to shut out the noise around him.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" The sound grew a little louder and suddenly he had it. Heavy breathing. Someone was panting on the other end. He could hear the a little of the voice now, too, like a soft whimpering between breaths. "…Natsume-kun?"

He wasn't sure how he knew. A lucky guess, probably.

"S… Sensei -" The small voice came through breathlessly. "I… I'm…"

Seiji stood up from his stool, feeling his ear turn red from shoving the phone against it. "Natsume-kun, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm -" he stopped and there was and indistinct shuffling noise on the other end. When his voice came back in, it was even higher and harder to hear. "Scared… I'm scared…"

Seiji gripped the edge of the counter. He could feel his heart beating just below his throat, faster than it had in years.

"Where are you?" There was nothing but panting on the other end, and a tinny scraping sound like shoes over gravel. "Natsume-kun," Seiji prompted loudly. "_Where_ _are you_?"

He could feel the eyes of a few bar patrons on his back.

"School," Natsume's voice came again. "But I -"

"I'm coming," said Seiji. He was already halfway to the door. "Natsume-kun, is there someone there with you? Is somebody -"

He stopped. The heavy breathing had been replaced by silence. He brought the phone down and glanced at the screen while pushing the door open. The display read 'Call Ended. "Tch," Seiji hissed, letting the door fall shut behind him.

At least he was still close to the school. But why was Natsume still there? Surely even Shuujo-sensei would've gone home by now.

Seiji couldn't begin to guess, but his head was overflowing with memories of this feeling; this barely-suppressed panic, this sensation of being all alone and pathetically small. It had all been right there in Natsume's voice.

He stepped out onto the the now emptying sidewalk and broke into a run. He must've looked odd; a gangly, middle-aged man in a teacher's vest sprinting between pedestrians as if he were about to miss his train. But he didn't notice the stares, nor even the first cold raindrops splashing down, making dark circles on the cement in front of him.

"Hang on, Natsume," he said under his breath.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...<em>


	5. Part 5

Part 5

* * *

><p>By the time he made it to the school gate, the rain was coming down in torrents. Only then did he remember leaving his umbrella in a holder back at the bar. Of course, in the strong wind, it probably would've been blown inside-out anyway.<p>

The school gate was locked so Seiji ran around to the staff entrance, cursing every extra second it took. As soon as he was past the administration building, he started shouting.

"Natsume-kun! Where are you? Oi! Natsume-kuuuun!"

The grounds were dark gray and crisscrossed with long shadows from the buildings and trees. He couldn't see much and he wasn't sure Natsume could hear his voice over the rain.

Then he saw the shadow; one that was moving. "Natsume-kun?"

It had only been in his peripheral, disappearing around the corner of the sports equipment shed. It had had an odd shape to it. Flowing somehow, like shredded cloth in a breeze, and definitely too tall to be Natsume's.

Even so, Seiji ran toward the shed. The soles of his shoes made squeaking noises on the soaked grass. He stopped at the corner, looking in all directions.

"Not here," he murmured. But he had certainly seen the shadow. Why did it have to be so dark? It sent an added chill all the way through him. He turned and raced back to the main walk, opening his mouth to call out again.

Then abruptly, he came a halt. Something was glowing pale yellow, just beyond the covered walkway where they'd played soccer earlier.

"Natsume -" Seiji ran to the walkway. He felt the wind blast out of the enclosure, spraying his face with fine rain. "Natsume-kun?"

The boy was on his hands and knees, gasping as if he'd just been pulled out of the Tone River. All Seiji could see was the top of his dripping blonde head, and his arms shaking at the elbows. At the sound of his name, he flinched and jumped to his feet, looking poised to run.

"It's alright," Seiji said quickly. "It's just me."

The gold eyes were shimmering and water was streaming down both cheeks. Whether it was rain water or not, Seiji couldn't say.

"Tsubaki-sensei," he breathed. "You came - ? No - oh no…" he shook his head, backing up a step. "I shouldn't have -"

"Natsume-kun, what's going -" Suddenly, the boy's face shot up and he stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.

Then he cried out, covering his head with both arms and dropping halfway to one knee. The wind inside the walkway swirled madly. "Natsume…?"

"Look out!"

Before he knew what had happened, Natsume plowed into him headlong, knocking him over backwards. Seiji barely managed to catch himself with his arms out behind him. Now his feet lay in the walkway, the top half of him sitting the mud with rain pouring on his head.

He looked down at his chest slowly, feeling the small weight on top of him. Natsume was clutching his vest tightly in both fists, golden eyes wide as he stared over his own shoulder at the walkway.

For a moment, Seiji felt the boy trembling hard against his chest. But almost immediately, Natsume pushed himself up and took a step away. He whirled on the spot, flinging both arms out wide like a shield.

"Don't! He can't see you, it's just me! It's _just me!_"

Seiji stared at Natsume's back, then at the empty walkway in front of them both. It was hard to see through the shadows, with the curtain of rain across his vision, but he was sure there was no one there. "Natsume-kun…"

"No!" Natusme shouted suddenly, his voice sounding ragged. "Please don't, this person is…" His head turned slightly and Seiji caught a glimpse the pale side of his face through the rain. His mouth moved, murmuring something Seiji couldn't hear.

Then he looked back at the walk, raising his voice louder than ever. "Just _go away!_ Don't do anything and I promise, I'll leave! Then nobody will look at you. Please, just go!"

There was a long silence, filled only with rain and wind. Seiji watched a cloud of fog drifted out of his mouth and disipate before him in the cold. He stared at the walkway again. No one. There was definitely no one around but himself and Natsume.

Yet the way the boy was talking… Seiji pushed the thought away. "Natsume-kun, what are you -"

"Yes. That's a promise," Natsume said without turning. "I wont come back anymore. Just leave for now, please!" His voice cracked a little on the last word and he fell silent.

Another tense silence and then without warning, a gale surged out of the walkway. Both Natsume and Seiji crossed their arms over their faces as rain blew straight at them, swirling around like a tornado.

For just a split second, Seiji thought he caught another glimpse of that strange, flowing shadow. But then rain water flew in his eyes and he closed them tightly.

When he looked up again, the shadow was gone and the wind started to settle down once more. He looked back at Natsume who had lowered his arms.

Slowly, his legs bent and he fell forward onto his knees again, making a _splat_ sound in the mud.

"Oi, Natsume-kun!" Seiji finally got to his feet and crossed to the boy's side. He reached down hesitantly and touched his shoulder. It tensed a slightly under his fingers.

"Tsubaki-sensei," Natsume murmured. "I'm really sorry… I - I shouldn't have… are you okay?"

"Am I…?" Seiji felt a fresh wave of confusion that almost made him laugh. "Yes, Natsume-kun, of course I'm okay. Come on, get up."

He shook his head and took hold of Natsume under the arms, pulling him upright again. He turned the boy around to face him, looking him over carefully. It was too dark to see if he was hurt anywhere. "What about you?" Natsume nodded at the ground. "On the phone, you said you were… Natsume-kun, what happened? Why did you call?"

Seiji watched the small face. Natsume bit his lower lip, still staring hard at the muddy grass.

"Ah - I… I was… I -" he stammered for a moment. Then suddenly, he screwed up his nose and sneezed loudly, blasting a cloud fog into the air.

"Eh, never mind that for now. Let's get indoors before one of us catches pneumonia."

Natsume looked up at him. His expression looked odd; as if he wasn't sure why Seiji was still standing there. "I think… the doors are all locked."

Seiji smiled and patted his wet coat pocket. "Teacher's key. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Their footsteps sent squelching noises echoing around the empty hall. Seiji glanced back at the twin lines of shoe-shaped puddles leading all the way back to the entrance doors. He winced. Hopefully, no one would be able to trace it back to him through his abnormally large shoe-size.<p>

He led the way around the corner and into the gym. It was cold inside and the waxed wooden floor shimmered under their shadows. The footsteps reverberated louder than ever as they crossed to the boy's locker room.

"We'll get dried off and then you can change into your gym uniform. You didn't use it today, did you?" Natsume shook his head and followed Seiji inside. "Uh… let's see." His eyes scanned the benches and closed locker doors until he spotted a stack of white towels on a high shelf. "Ah, there we go."

He reached up and pulled down two of the towels, unfolding them as the tumbled into his arms. Turning back to Natsume, he reached down and spread one over the boy's dripping mass of yellow hair. Natsume pressed his palms against the white terrycloth, wide eyes coming up to meet Seiji's in surprise.

Seiji simply began drying his own face. "Being in a locker room like this really is nostalgic for me." He moved the towel to his hair and started tossing it back and forth haphazardly. "I really loved sports in elementary school… just wasn't very good at them. But you already knew that." He winked. "I guess that's why I teach language studies now."

He let out a sigh, glancing down at Natsume who was also busily drying his hair. "Do you like the class?"

Natsume looked up and nodded quickly, but then stopped. His expression fell a little and he turned away. Confused, Seiji watched him walk a few steps to one of the lockers. He opened the metal door and pulled out his blue gym uniform.

Seiji looked around at the other lockers. He debated going into the office and borrowing one of the coach uniforms. After all, his pants and coat were sodden and freezing; it would be embarrassing to be seen on the train home looking like that. Then again, what would it look like for a grown man to be wearing gym clothes on the train?

He cringed and dropped the idea. If Megumi were here, she would never stop laughing.

His gaze came back around to Natsume, who had changed into the track pants and was now pulling his soaked white t-shirt over his head. He was leaned against the edge of the wooden bench with his back to Seiji.

And then, just as he tugged the last of the shirt past his chin, Seiji saw it. Eight long, crisscrossing bruises up the back of Natsume's bare neck. They were dark and purplish at the center, angry red around the edges, and wrapped all the way around to his throat, out of sight.

Seiji felt something latch onto his heart and jerked it hard. _Finger marks. _He knew it instantly. All the air drained from his lungs. _From strangling._

He opened his mouth, with no idea of what might come out of it. But in an instant, Natsume had pushed his arms through the sleeves of his gym jacket and pulled it tight around him. He zipped it up the front as he turned, pulling the zipper straight to the collar just as he came around to face Seiji again, the bruises now completely concealed from view.

"Tsubaki-sensei?"

Seiji blinked, suddenly aware that he was still staring. He shook his head and dropped his towel at the end of the bench. "Yes, we should get going. Uh… where's you bag, by the way?"

"I left it in by the gate."

Seiji cocked his head to the side a little. "By the gate? Then you _did_ leave school?"

Natsume nodded. "I just had to come back."

"Why?"

"To get the ball."

Seiji felt his face go a bit blank. "The…?"

Natsume blinked twice. "The soccer ball. The one we were playing with. I didn't put it away with the other sports equipment before I left."

Seiji looked at him another moment, before the urge to snort overcame him. Natsume gave him a confused look, but he kept on chuckling. "Eh, Natsume-kun." Reaching out, he dropped a hand into Natsume's damp hair, ruffling it back and forth. The boy's shoulders tensed, but then seemed to relax back down. "For future reference, you don't have to come all the way back to school just for that."

"Oh." For a moment, Natsume closed his eyes. "Okay."

Seiji could still feel himself smiling, but he knew he couldn't keep it up for long. Sooner or later, he was going to have to ask straight out.

The sight of those ominous marks around Natsume's small neck was into of Seiji's mind, along with the sickening meaning it might hold.

* * *

><p>Thank goodness, by the time they walked back outside, the storm had settled down to basic rain. The umbrellas Seiji borrowed from the faculty supply room had no trouble keeping the water off as they walked back to the gate.<p>

As they came around the corner pillar, Natsume ran over to the school's mail box crouched next to it. Seiji watched him pull out the brown, rectangular backpack from underneath it. He shrugged his arms through the straps and came back to join Seiji on the path.

"Out of curiosity," said Seiji as they started walking. "Why did you take your bag off?"

"Mm, it's heavy. I… wanted to go fast."

"Ah… alright," he replied as if he understood.

They walked silently, dripping umbrella over dripping umbrella, towards town. Once they were as fare as the lighted sidewalks, Seiji remembered his own umbrella, still in the bar. But just then, Natsume sneezed again, and he made a mental note to grab it on his way in tomorrow, instead.

It was a relief to get out of the rain and cold breeze as they walked into the relatively crowded train station. The late-workers rush had not yet begun, so the lines weren't very long.

Seiji led the way to the gates and pulled out his pass card, sliding it automatically as he walked through the wing doors. Then suddenly, he turned back around to Natsume on the opposite side.

"Oh, whoops! You need a card for your fare, don't you - oh." Seiji stopped as he realized Natsume had slid his backpack down and opened it. He pulled out a light green, plastic card and walked up to the gate. "Oh… right." Seiji laughed under his breath. "Of course, you take this train to get home, too, don't you?"

Natsume nodded, sweeping his card over the scan plate and walking through. Seiji got a better look at the card as it was sliding back into Natsume's bag. It looked different from his own. It was a short-term pass; the sort tourists used on vacation.

Seiji's eyes fell on Natsume's gym clothes which were a little too large. Probably a spare set on loan from the school. His backpack was the same; a patch with the words 'Kioroshi Elementary' embroidered on it was sewn onto the flap.

_Of course,_ Seiji thought a little bitterly. _Why bother shelling out two thousand yen for a standard issue backpack if he'll be gone soon, anyway?_

Everything Natsume used, everything around him seemed to scream 'temporary'. Seiji remembered that life clearly. Guardians fulfilling their family obligation and then passing him off as soon as possible. Small guest rooms and borrowed necessities. Temporary home after temporary home.

_What an oxymoron._

"Um… Tsubaki-sensei, isn't that our train there?"

Seiji snapped out of his thoughts to look where Natsume was pointing. "Oh, yes. Yes, let's get on before all the seats are taken, shall we?"

He needn't have worried; the entire rearmost car was empty. They took seats across from each other at the back. Natsume set his backpack down on the plastic bench next to him and Seiji leaned their wet umbrellas against the wall, beneath the window.

They sat in silence, save for the low hum of talking and other trains running outside. Seiji stared into space in the direction of the glowing 'Priority Seating' sign.

Then abruptly, the doors close and a women's voice announced through the speakers that they were departing Hokusou Station, and then listed the estimated arrival time at each stop.

Seiji scooted around on his hard seat, trying to ignore the uncomfortable dampness of his pants as they rubbed against the plastic. He knew the moment had come to ask again. Natsume was staring out the window as they pulled out of the station and through the first tunnel.

"Natsume-kun."

He turned his head, sending his now dry hair fluttering over his ears. "Yes?"

Seiji ran a hand down the back of his own head. How should he say all this? "When you called me tonight… you told me you were scared."

The boy's eyes dropped gradually to the floor. He made no answer. "Natsume-kun… I want to ask you a few things because… I've been scared before, too. And I think that you need someone to hear you out."

Natsume looked back up at him momentarily, his face as pale as it'd been on the school grounds.

"Tell you what," Seiji went on. "I'll ask you just three questions, alright? And you don't have to answer out loud, just nod your head 'yes' or 'no'. Okay? Will you do that?"

The eye's came up again, shaking with the light reflecting off the overheads. After a very long pause, Natsume bit his lower lip and swallowed.

"Mm," he replied in a small voice.

"Alright." Seiji took a deep breath and let it go through his nose. "I don't know what was going on when I found you at school… but before that - when you called - did you mean you scared of some_one_ in particular?"

Natsume hesitated. Then slowly, he gave a little nod.

"Okay." Seiji nodded. This one was going to be harder. "Second question now." He spread his legs, propping his elbows on his knees, and leaning forward. He looked into Natsume's down-turned face, lowering his voice, even though no one was nearby. "Natsume-kun… have you ever been hurt by an adult?"

The boy's head came up, mouth open wide as if he were bursting with a dozen hasty replies. He went through a series of beginning sounds, without actually speaking. Seiji leaned a little closer. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Remember, just nod or shake your head."

Natsume's shoulders fell slowly. He gripped two handfuls of the dark blue fabric over his knees, a soft, distressed noise slipping from his mouth.

Then, ever so slightly, he dipped his chin in a nod.

Seiji felt his eyes close. His chest tightened the way it had in the bar with Natori. Of course, he'd expected this answer.

But even so, as he opened his eyes again, seeing the silent, ten-year-old child sitting across from him, the tightness crushed something inside him.

He stood up slowly, pausing to keep his balance while the train rocked around a curve. He reached across and picked up Natsume's backpack, laying it on the floor next to the bench. He could feel the young eyes on him as he took a seat where the bag had been.

"Last question," he said, looking at his lap rather than Natsume. "The Hidoshi's… Natsume-kun, do they hurt you?"

He looked up at Natsume in time to see the boy's eyes widen and his cheeks flush in panic. "N-no! No, no, never! Please don't think that! They're nice people, they really are - I - I'm the one who…"

He broke off as Seiji began talking in a lower, soothing voice. "Hey now, calm down. It's alright." Natsume sat back into his seat, but he was still looking at Seiji a anxiously.

"Something like that… They'd never -"

"But Natsume-kun, you're hurt right now, aren't you?"

He blinked several times, gaze falling back on his knees. "…No. I'm not."

The response lit a spark in Seiji's head. Before he could stop himself, his hand came up and he wrapped his fingers around the back of Natsume's neck, squeezing hard.

Natsume made a startled sound, pulling away instinctively. Then quickly, he turned to look up at Seiji. His eyes were watering, a look of confusion on his tense face.

"Don't try to hide it," said Seiji. "You don't have to make up stories, you just have to _tell_ someone."

"I'm not -" he shook his head, still wincing with the pain. "The Hidoshi's never - it's not what you think…"

Seiji shifted in his seat so he was more-or-less facing Natsume. "Then what is it? Natsume-kun, can't you just tell me?"

"I…" Natsume opened his mouth, but stopped halfway through the single word.

In the silence, the train glided to halt and the speakers asked everyone to stand clear as more passengers boarded. Two men with brief cases got on and bee-lined for the bench nearest the doors.

At long last, the doors closed again and the train began moving. _Last stop before home, _Seiji reminded himself.

"Sensei…" Seiji barely heard the small voice over the grinding wheels. "If… if I do… if I tell you - will you believe me?"

"What?"

Natsume's huge, golden eyes came up and stared straight into Seiji's face. His hands were still fists in his lap, shoulders tense. It was so much like the look Natori had had in the bar, but instead of daring him, Natsume's face held something more like pleading.

"Do you promise?" His voice was barely above a whisper. "No matter what it is, will you definitely believe me?"

Seiji knew he wasn't blinking, yet he wanted to look away altogether.

"_Maybe this kid is sick of being called a liar."_

Natori's words rose up in Seiji's mind as though they'd been waiting to ambush him. Along side them came all the arguments he'd had with himself since he'd been in elementary school. How often he'd told himself that none of it was real; the shadows, the voices, the fear. All made up.

"_For five minutes, how hard would be to just believe he's telling the truth?"_

Too hard. It was asking _too_ much. To believe in Natsume's Youkai and Ayakashi now, even for a second, was to believe in everything that had terrified him as a kid. It meant going back, being alone again.

Natsume was looking at him with those same lonely eyes right now.

_Teacher? Or grown-up?_

The sudden thought made Seiji's stomach lurch, as if right before a train wreck. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't make himself give it all up. He felt the words coming out before he knew what they were.

"I will. If it's the _truth_."

Slowly, like a flag going limp in a dead breeze, Natsume's eyes fell, followed by his whole face. He leaned back into his seat, fists uncurling and releasing the handfuls of blue fabric.

"Okay," he murmured. A very slight, completely lifeless smile crossed his face.

Seiji's chest throbbed. _Teacher._ "The bruises…?"

Natsume reached up and ran his fingers against the collar of his jacket. "Mm," he nodded. "I… I did it. I did it to myself. I do that stuff, like - yelling at school and making messes… even making bruises on myself. I do it to get attention from adults and scare everyone."

Seiji stared at him. "You… Natsume-kun, do you expect me to believe that's the truth?"

Natsume nodded hard, looking up at him again. "It is! I make trouble all the time, that's why I have to… it's not Hidoshi-san or Kagura-san's fault. They didn't have to let me stay, but… they did, and all of it's my fault, I promise!"

"Natsume-kun, listen to me…"

"It was the same when you came to get me from school. It was just a show - I didn't mean any of it."

"Natsume -"

"You _have_ to believe me, Tsubaki-sensei!" Natsume's hand came up suddenly and clutched Seiji's damp coat sleeve. "You promised, right?"

Seiji couldn't think of any way to answer. The young, desperate voice echoed loudly in his head, blocking out his own thoughts.

Then abruptly, it was replaced by an older, cavalier voice.

"_Dogs and kids have some stuff in common. They know better than to keep trying after they've had it thrown back on them once too often."_

Seiji felt his other hand come up and stretch out toward the small fingers clutching his arm. Then slowly, he pulled the hand back.

It was too late.

His chance was gone.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...<em>


	6. Part 6

Part 6

Thanks again for the revies, guys! You're the best. ^-^

* * *

><p>Rain tumbled out of the ink-black sky and spattered languidly on their umbrellas as they passed the last few houses. Seiji saw the Hidoshi's house looming out the dark; one of the few with the lights still on inside.<p>

He glanced down at Natsume who was watching his sneakers as they walked. Neither of them had said a word since they'd left the train station.

Finally, Seiji turned right and led the way up the cement walk. He reached the door and waited for Natsume to catch up before ringing the bell.

No more than two clouds of foggy breath had come from his mouth before the door opened. The sharp-faced woman he'd briefly met yesterday pulled the door back, sending a cross breeze into Seiji's face.

He bowed as best he could without tilting the umbrella forward. "Good evening, Hidoshi-san. Please excuse me for coming be so late."

"Takashi-kun!" Hidoshi Kagura seemed to shriek under her breath, as if afraid of waking the neighbors. "What do you think you've been doing?"

Seiji felt Natsume step sideways a little, realizing that the boy had been standing half-behind him. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Inside. _Now_." There was a sound of an umbrella popping and folding down, and Seiji stepped aside as Natsume rushed past him, through the door. Kagura's dark eyes followed him until he'd taken off his shoes and left the entryway.

Finally, she turned back to a very uncomfortable Seiji. "You're from the school, aren't you? Pleased to meet you." She bowed her head halfway. "Won't you come in."

"Eh -" Seiji tried to think of a good response, but the doorway was suddenly empty. He was left on the doorstep with his dripping umbrella, listening to Kagura storm back into the house. "Oh yes. I'm sure I'd enjoy that," he muttered.

Once he'd left his sodden shoes and umbrella beneath the entry step, he made his way tentatively toward what felt like the house's center. Fortunately, it was designed almost exactly like his own.

The living room, however, was extremely different.

The décor was an odd mixture of western furniture on Japanese tatami with everything from ink artwork to china cabinets lining the walls. It very much had the feel of someone trying to stuff modern riches into a traditional home. Everything, straw floor to white ceiling, was incredibly clean

Altogether, it was a little dizzying.

He was alone in the immaculate living room for a moment, but soon, Kagura came stalking back in. she carried a tray with a small tea pot and to rattling cups which she set on the coffee table between the couch and the armchair.

She gestured with her eyes to the couch and Seiji quickly took a seat.

"Are you a teacher, then?" She gave him an appraising glance as she poured the tea. "I didn't get your name."

"Oh, ah - yes! Please excuse my rudeness. My name is Tsubaki Seiji. I'm the substitute teacher of Natsume-san's language class."

"I see." Kagura reached out with one steaming cup in her long fingers. Seiji took it with a head-bow and 'thank-you'. "Well, I'm very sorry for any trouble he's caused this evening. I suppose he made a mess in the classroom, threw his bag up a tree, something like that?"

Seiji had been blowing on the surface of his tea, but stopped mid-exhale. "N - no, nothing like that. He… stayed behind to clean up some sports equipment. I took him on home with me, since it was so late. Truly, it was no trouble. My house is just up the road from here."

Again, Kagura's dark eyes seemed to boar straight through him, but eventually she gave a half-nod. "Well, that's something at least. This would be the fifth time Izuku-san and I have been contacted by the school over that boy's misbehavior."

Seiji opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off without noticing. "I'm sure you know this, Tsubaki-san, but Natstume Takashi is not our son. He's not even really a relation."

Seiji blinked at her, wondering how she could say such a blunt thing so off-handedly. "Well… yes, I confess, I was aware of that."

She shook her head, taking a sip from her own cup. "No confession needed, it's common knowledge by now. We took him in as a favor to my brother in-law, who started a new job last spring. He was too busy to deal with the boy anymore, so he sent him to us for the summer. Of course, summer is well over, and he wont agree to take Takashi back." She rolled her eyes toward the arm of her chair and muttered, "Typical."

Seiji tried to cover up an awkward pause by taking a sip of his tea. In addition to scalding his tongue and the back of his throat, it was possibly the bitterest liquid to ever enter his mouth. He bit down on a grimace, wondering how Kagura could continue blithely drinking from her own teacup-of-death.

"Well, we can't be expected to deal with this much longer, anyway." She looked up at him meaningfully, as if she were about to say something terribly impressive. "My husband is becoming a very important man at his company, Tsubaki-san. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's put in charge of the international out-sourcing branch very soon. I myself, have many commitments, both in my workplace and as an organizer of his company's events. It is unreasonable to expect our efforts in this matter much longer."

Seiji set his cup down on its saucer, watching her apprehensively. "What do you mean, if I may ask?"

Kagura sipped away the last of her disgusting tea and bent down to pour another cupful. "The boy's uncle on his father's side said he would meet us in Yamagata at the end of this month and take Takashi, at least until New Year's."

"And after that?"

Kagura glanced at him, but raised one thin shoulder in a shrug. "At that point, he is not our responsibility anymore. I suppose you think I'm a dreadfully calloused person for saying that, but you don't understand the difficulties inherent in caring for a poorly trained child like Takashi. When he causes public displays and fails to meet even the most basic social standards in his own school, it reflects badly on myself and on Izuku-san."

Her teacup clinked shrilly as she picked it up. "That we should sacrifice the high opinions and lifestyle that my husband has slaved to achieve for so many years…" she shot him another piercing look, her mouth tightening. "It's simply asking too much."

Seiji was mildly aware that his cup was shaking. He set it down on the coffee table mechanically. A torrential rain of thoughts clouded his mind, so he felt, rather than heard himself murmur, "I see. That's how it is…"

"Are you leaving?" She asked pointedly, watching as he let go of his teacup. Again, Seiji started to reply when she cut him off, raising her voice to call down the hallway behind him. "Takashi-kun! Come in here."

There was a light thudding down the hall behind him. A moment later, Natsume appeared around the corner of the couch, a few feet from Seiji. He'd exchanged his gym uniform for an oversized, turtleneck shirt that came down to his knees. A set of clearly adult-sized flannel pajama pants were cuffed up into piles around his ankles

He came to a stop, eyes on the floor at Kagura's feet. "Yes?"

"Before Tsubaki-san leaves, apologize properly for the inconvenience you caused him this evening."

"Eh -" Seiji started to raise his hand for assurance. "It really wasn't -"

"_Now_, Takashi-kun."

Seiji swallowed and sat back. It was making more and more sense why Hidoshi Izuku stayed at work so late.

Natsume simply nodded and turned toward Seiji. Slowly, he dropped onto on knee and then tucked the other beneath him. Laying his palms flat on the tatami floor, he bowed his forehead to his hands and spoke softly, "Please accept my apologies, Tsubaki-sensei."

The crushed thing inside Seiji started to throb against his ribcage. His hand folded into a fist and he dropped it back into his lap. "No… no, of course. It's quite alright."

Natsume waited another moment, until Kagura shifted slightly in her seat. He seemed to take it as his cue to rise. As soon as he was standing, Kagura pointed a long finger toward the hall again. "Now to bed."

Natsume turned immediately toward the hall.

"Natsume-kun -" Seiji stopped. He could feel Kagura's eyes on him, but he kept his own on Natsume's face. Still, he couldn't think of a way to go on. He simply didn't want the boy to walk away just yet.

Natsume's huge golden eyes came around to meet his gaze. The lids were half-closed, as if he were falling asleep. And then he donned that small shadow of a smile. "Thank you for teaching me soccer, Sensei," the quiet voice came gently. "I had fun."

Then he turned immediately and ran back down the shadowed hall.

* * *

><p>The next day was dark. There were clouds and fog everywhere. It felt like the inside of Seiji's head. It wasn't until he walked into his own classroom that his mind cleared enough to notice Natsume's seat was empty.<p>

As the last few students filed in, Seiji walked back to the doorway and looked around the emptying hall. He caught sight of Kagami Toru outside his office and strode rapidly down the hall to him.

"Kagami-sensei… sorry but, do you know where Natsume Takashi-kun is today?"

Kagami turned from his conversation with Unamaru, the third-grade homeroom teacher, and shook his head. "Hidoshi Izuku-san called me this morning and said Natsume-kun wouldn't be attending today. He didn't say why."

"And you didn't ask?" Seiji knew it sounded rude and, sure enough, Kagami frowned flatly at him.

"No. Is that all, Tsubaki-san? We were in the middle of a discussion."

Seiji only nodded as he turned back toward his classroom. He felt uneasy and he knew exactly why. But hadn't he already spent enough time guessing? What if Natori was right, and he was just making assumptions about Natsume's guardians? What if he was simply seeing too much of himself in yet another child?

As soon as classes were over, he went in search of Megumi. He found her in the basement, retrieving colored craft paper from one of the store closets. As he came up behind her, a thick stack of red construction paper started to slip off as she pulled at the paper underneath.

"That's dangerous!" Seiji caught the stack before it slid off onto her head.

The sudden sound of his voice made her jump and whip her head around to stare over her shoulder. "Oh! Tsubaki, you scared me!"

"That's _my _line. Why are you pulling from the middle?"

She grinned sheepishly at him, taking out the rest while he held the top stack. "Too short to reach the top. What's up?"

"Umn…" he moaned thoughtfully and set the stack down. Megumi shut the doors, hugging her stack of paper and watching him expectantly. "Guess."

She smiled. "Takashi?"

_You never change,_ he thought, feeling himself smile back weakly. "It would take all day to explain everything…"

"That's okay. What's the right-now problem?

"He didn't come to school today and no one seems to know why."

Megumi shook her head. "I noticed that, too. I asked around, but nobody…"

Seiji's head suddenly throbbed and he pressed both palms to his forehead. "_Nobody_. No one asks, no one thinks of him, no one _listens_ to him! Megumi, who does he have, exactly?"

There was a long silence. In the middle of it, he felt four small fingers touch the side of his shoulder gently. Megumi's sweet, husky voice came out as quietly as Natsume's.

"Well… _you're_ still around, aren't you?" Her hand tightened on his shoulder. "Right? Tsubaki Seiji."

His gaze came up to hers. Her smile waited for him.

Natori's eyes dared him.

Natsume's face begged him.

He was running.

The school halls passed him in a blur, the street and the bar, the train station entrance, the train doors. Then the whole city was racing by outside the windows. Elderly passengers gave the intruding young teacher irritated looks as he paced back and forth, instead of finding a seat.

The train stopped and he was running again. The neighborhood houses rushed around him like a kaleidoscope of dull color. His already filthy shoes sent mud flying out of puddles as he ran up the Hidoshi's walk way and pounded on the door.

"Excuse me!" He called out. "Is anyone home?"

Again, Kagura wasted no time getting to the door, nor in flinging it back rather brusquely. "Tsubaki-san - what on earth?"

"I beg your pardon, Hidoshi-san," Seiji rattled off breathlessly, hands on his knees as he panted. "But where's… where is Natsume?"

"Where…?"

"He wasn't at school today. Is he here?"

Kagura's sharp eyes studied him a moment, then she replied shortly, "No. He's not."

He straightened up, staring. "Not…? Then where -"

"His uncle picked him up this morning and took him back to Yamagata."

Seiji's heart suddenly began sinking. "But… I thought - the end of the month was…"

She nodded, folding her arms. "It was. We asked his uncle to come early. He just so happened to have a half-day's work near Chiba today, so we sent Takashi by train to meet him."

"…Why?" It was all he could think to ask.

"_He_ wanted to," Kagura exclaimed. "He got out of bed as soon as Izuku-san returned from work and practically begged us to let him leave before school today. It was a difficult thing to arrange, but Izuku-san thought we ought to let him, since he was so set on it."

Seiji dropped back a step from the door, still feeling his heart sinking away. "Why did he want to leave?"

Kagura sighed, clearly eager to close the door again. "I really don't know. He just said he couldn't go back to school. Probably avoiding some school assignment or test, or something. Is that all you wished to ask, Tsubaki-san?"

Once again, Seiji didn't hear himself answer. He only knew that, a moment later, the Hidoshi's door was closed and he was alone on the cold, muddy pathway again.

Gone.

"_Don't do anything and I promise I'll leave! Then nobody will look at you. Please, just go!" _

The words Natsume had screamed at the empty air last night rang in Seiji's memory. But what did it mean? More than that, was he still afraid to truly ask that question?

His chest throbbed. His head ached. What was he supposed to do now? Go after him?

How? How could he continue chasing after someone he'd already failed so miserably? For the second time, he'd lost his chance.

"_Thanks for teaching me soccer…"_

Slowly, Seiji turned toward the street and crossed to the sidewalk.

Oh yes. He really was a great teacher.

And nothing else.

* * *

><p><em>TBC...<em>


	7. Part 7  End

Part 7 - Last

I hope you enjoy the rest! :)

* * *

><p><em>Six Years Later…<em>

* * *

><p>Whether it was to work, to an appointment, or some social event, Seiji always wished he could take the long way into the city. None of those occasions ever left him with enough time to walk down the long country road through the rice fields and scattered houses, but he longed for the chance of peaceful walk in the breeze. He'd looked for an opportunity to take this road ever since moving away from Chiba and into this quieter, remote community.<p>

Today was hotter than usual, cicadas rattling off a shrill chorus all around him, but at last he had time to take the long walk before going into the city for shopping. His mind wandered as he gazed across the dirt road, lined on both sides with rice and summer wild flowers. For a second, he almost forgot about the cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Tsubaki? Did you catch that?" The simple, husky voice was still the sweetest he'd ever heard.

"Oh! Sorry, Megumi, yes. I - uh… spoons?"

She stifled a laugh on the other end. "Mm, the silicone scoop ones. They'd be in the same section as baby food. But that was three items ago…" she laughed again and Seiji sighed ruefully.

"I'm sorry, I got distracted."

"It's fine. The main thing is the diapers and wipes. We won't get far without those, right?"

Seiji winced. "I know. I should've bought them weeks ago."

"Oh, don't worry about it," she reassured. "He's not due for three weeks. I'm sure you have enough time to get to the store and back."

The familiar nervousness rose up inside Seiji. He stopped in the middle of the road. "Megumi… I don't think… I'm not -"

"Yes, you are," she replied firmly. "You'll see. I know you, so I know that he's gonna be the luckiest baby in the world."

Seiji felt a smile push onto his face and he ran a hand down the back of his head. There was sweat collecting on his neck from the heat. "Yeah… thanks."

"Anytime. Sorry to interrupt your walk."

"No problem."

"The _juku _kids will be here any minute, so I better go. Happy shopping! I love you."

Red warmth surged through Seiji's cheeks an ears. "Ah… Mm." He nodded, even though she couldn't see. Another giggle came from the other end, and then a beep before the line fell silent.

He pocketed the phone and started walking again. A wave of hazy air drifted over the road in front of him, making the flower colors swim together.

His thoughts had been in a similar haze ever since he'd taken Megumi to Shibuya just under two years ago. He still didn't know where he'd found the nerve to ask her to become his wife, nor had he any idea why she'd agreed (especially so quickly).

Everything after that; moving, changing schools, even the news that he would be a father in nine months, had fallen into that haze, making him feel warmer all the time. But he'd never felt ready for any of it. He certainly didn't deserve it.

"_Sensei…"_

That voice, the eyes he couldn't forget and everything he'd regretted since those few short days in the fall; all of it remained ever at the back of his mind, cold and full of guilt.

"_If I tell you… will you believe me?" _

"Sensei!"

Seiji nearly had a heart attack on the spot. He kicked the heal of his left shoe with the toe of his right as he came to a immediate halt. There had been a few people strolling down the road when he'd been on the phone with Megumi, but now there was no one. Had he just imagined it?

"Sensei! Slow down! Where are you going?"

Just as Seiji managed to determine the voice was coming from his right, there was a shuffling in the rice plants on the same side. A patch of wild flowers were smashed to the ground as a huge, orange and white ball rolled out onto the path.

"Heh?" Seiji took a step back, staring down, wide-eyed, at lumpy object. It stared back. To his horror, he saw it had a set of narrow, dark eyes and small flecks of red in the fur around what appeared to be a face. It was _alive_. It cocked its fat head to the side and made a noise almost like mewing. "A… cat?"

Then suddenly, with another rustling of reeds, a pair of sneakers hit the ground on either side of the catlike thing and the young voice Seiji had heard before said triumphantly, "Ahah! Got you."

Seiji watched the blonde-haired teenager bend down and scoop the hideous furry thing up with both arms. He straightened up quickly, but to Seiji, time spun down into slow motion. The young face came up, less pale but unmistakable. As the nearly transparent yellow bangs blew aside with the movement, the familiar set of full, golden eyes met his gaze.

They were exactly the same; penetrating, clear as day, as if he was seeing everything. Perhaps he was seeing too much.

"Natsume…" Seiji couldn't hear his own voice, but he felt the words like a breeze between his lips. He spoke again, a little louder. "Natsume-kun? It is you, isn't it?"

The boy stared back blankly for a second. Then his eyes widened, mouth falling partway open. "Tsu - Tsubaki-sensei! I - Ah… um - it's been a while…" he trailed off awkwardly, gaze falling on the cat dangling from his arms.

Seiji could understand his feelings; he wasn't sure where to go from here either. Still, as the adult, it was his responsibility to do _something_. "It has indeed. Is that your, um…" he gestured uncertainly at the lumpy animal in Natsume's arms.

"My cat," he replied ruefully. "I'm sorry, he just ran off all of a sudden."

"Oh, no trouble. Are you… staying nearby?"

Natsume nodded. "The Fujiwara's house, just up the road. Do you…?"

"Not very close. I'm taking the long way into the city today." He smiled, watching Natsume's nervous expression. This reunion was quite a bit more awkward than the one with Natori. "Do you mind if we walk together as far as your house?"

Natsume looked up at last. Slowly, to Seiji's relief, the nervousness faded and he gave a small smile. "Mm. I'd like to."

The first few minutes were filled the scraping of their shoes and the reverberating cicada song. Seiji had no idea where to start. Perhaps he ought to ask only polite questions and avoid being nosy. And yet, he'd been waiting for this chance ever since the day Natsume had left Kioroshi Elementary.

To his surprise, however, Natsume spoke up first.

"Have you been well, Sensei?"

Seiji had to hold back a grin. _Always so polite. _"Very. I'm married now."

Natsume turned his head with a genuine smile. "Really? Congratulations!"

"Thank you." He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I don't know what to do. She's giving me a son in less than a month - I've never been so nervous! What do I know about _babies_?"

Natsume laughed, too. The sound almost made Seiji jump and he glanced sideways at the boy. He'd grown so tall in what seemed like days_. And now he laughs?_

"What about you, Natsume-kun?" He watched the young face a little tensely. "Have you been… alright?"

Natsume's arms tightened slightly around the orange and white cat. "Mm."

"You said… you're staying with the Fujiwaras. I don't know them very well. Are they - ah… are they good to you?"

He awaited the automatic, hasty reply; the nodding and the assurance that they were "very nice people". But instead, Natsume remained silent, hugging the cat against his chest. He kept his eyes on the path as they walked, nodding slowly.

"Yes," he said softly. Seiji could see the smile, the half-squinted eyes, and heard him swallow. "Yes, very much."

_Ah,_ A voice in Seiji's mind soothed. _That's the real thing, then. _

So he'd finally found a home.

"Takashi-kuuun! Welcome back!" A woman's voice drifted through the hazy air. Seiji suddenly realized they'd come to a stop under the shade of some tall trees.

To his right, there was an open gate and a narrow stone walkway, leading up to a beautiful, old, two-story house. Gardens lined the ground just beyond the porch and woman with graying brown hair, tied back in a loosely, was standing among them. She waved a hand to Natsume.

Natsume shifted the cat to one arm so he could wave the other over his head. "I'm home!" He called. The smile was still there, looking so natural.

Seiji watched his profile in silence, feeling the tightness in his chest return as if it'd never left. That conversation on the train six years ago was always playing in his mind. It went on in a loop, like shrill background music.

"…_. will you believe me? Do you promise?" _

"Natsume-kun…"

He wasn't afraid anymore.

No. It wasn't that. It was that his fear wasn't important anymore. Even if he couldn't go back, even if he could never make it right, at least he could do _this_.

Natsume turned at the sound of his name and Seiji reached out with one hand. He rested it on the top of the boy's head, spreading his fingers through the pale yellow hair.

Natsume's eyes grew big and his mouth opened a little in surprise.

"I'm sorry." Seiji closed his own eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath. "I know it doesn't mean anything now… and I'm not asking you to give me another chance. I'm not asking you to tell me anything, but…" He opened his eyes and looked straight down into the clear, golden gaze; the face that had been so white and desperate all those years ago.

"But I want you to know… if you did tell me - if you told me now, I'd believe you." He nodded hard. "No matter what it was, I would definitely believe you."

"Sen…sei." Natsume's wide eyes continued to look at him, unblinking. He squeezed the cat until it gave a growl of protest and leapt out of his arms. Its paws made light tapping noises on the ground. "I…"

Seiji let his hand slide away and took a step back. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that." He managed to squeeze out a smile, nodding toward the old house. "You belong here now. I'm very glad about that. I just wish…"

"Sensei…"

He shook his head and turned back toward the road. "Thank you for the walk," he said over his shoulder, waving a hand. "Maybe can do it again sometime, yes?"

His chest still felt tight, but he couldn't do anything more about it. He fixed his eyes on the path and waded out into the hot, hazy sunlight. Soon, quickened his pace. For some reason, he wanted to put some distance between himself and the Fujiwara's house.

"Sensei, wait - one five three, two seven six three!"

Seiji came to an abrupt stop. He heard the sound of running feet behind him and turned around as just as Natsume caught up. "What?"

"One five three, two seven six three," Natsume repeated quickly. Seiji already recognized it, but still felt confused. Why his old cell phone number? Then slowly, the memory brought his eyes down to Natsume's right hand. The boy had it curled into a tight fist at his side.

"You…?"

"That night…the night I was - when I was at the school…" Natsume stammered, panting a little. "When I called you on your phone… No one ever - I never had someone to call like that."

"Natsume-kun," Seiji murmured.

"Then when you came… I - I shouldn't have been, but…" All of a sudden, Natsume brought his eyes up to meet Seiji's. "I was happy! I was really… really happy."

All Seiji could do was stare.

That was it? The smallest, most insignificant thing he'd done; writing his stupid phone number an a little boy's hand. Had it really mattered that much?

"Maybe…" Natsume looked down at his feet again. "Maybe we _could_ do it again. Walk together, I mean."

Well, even if he hadn't made a difference, he knew one thing for certain; somehow, the tightness inside him had eased away completely. He felt a real smile take him over. "Yes. Yes, definitely."

Natsume returned the smile with a grin so wide, it squinted his eyes shut, transforming his whole face. "Great!" He nodded his head in a bow and turned back toward his house. Some ten feet away, he stopped again and spun back around. "Sensei… you don't have to be nervous."

"About what?"

"Your son - being a parent." He tipped his head with the glowing smile. "If you don't mind me saying… I think you'll be really good at it."

Seiji laughed under his breath, rubbing his neck again. "Well… thank you very much, Natsume-kun."

Natsume nodded once and waved mid turn.

Seiji waved back. He watched the boy run back through the gate. His voice carried through the heavy air with some indistinct greeting to Fujiwara-san. Her voice, much lighter and harder to hear, replied cheerfully.

Then all at once, a breeze came out of nowhere, lifting the hazy air and blowing coolly against the back of Seiji's sweaty neck.

Inexplicably, the memory of that first day in the classroom at Kioroshi ran through his mind. Natsume's strange murmuring to the thin air before throwing his own head against the desk. Then in the silence, a strong breeze through the window.

Again, in slow motion, he saw the curtains billowing out through the window, the desk papers peeling up at their edges.

All of it, blowing toward the window. Not away from it.

The breeze had come from _inside_ the classroom.

Seiji's heart raced. He stood motionless in the middle of the path, staring at the now empty gateway of Natsume's home.

"You _know what's going on Sensei? You're sure?" _

The smile came back. Then he felt a laugh in his throat and shook his head. It was all crazy. Ayakashi, Yokai, spirits and ghosts, all of it; completely insane. But even if he didn't believe it, he still believed Natsume.

Whether that made any sense, or not.

* * *

><p><em>The End<em>

* * *

><p>A big thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this, for all your encouragement and kind words! The warm fuzzies are deeply appreciated. ^-^<p>

Yonde kureta arigatou gozaimasu! ;)

* * *

><p>Some random language notes:<p>

_han _groups: Student small groups within Japanese elementary school classes.

_"Moshimoshi": _Japanese telephone greeting.

_juku_: Cram School

_Kioroshi_ and _Inba Highschool_ are both real schools in Japan, however, I've never attended nor visited either one. ;)


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